The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-01-18
MoNEYmANIAcs OF NEW YORK.
Peculiar Habits OF a Rich Man-Miseries
and Dcprivations of Misers.

There il n sunken eyed old man whom
meet every night that / stroll up Fifth
avenue somewhere between Washington
square and Twenty-third street ] must
have known this phantom good fifteen
years. He lives in a garnet within stones
throw OF the square, and is the owner OF
much valuable property. In the early days
Of our acquaintance used to encounter him
stroning in the park munching French
roll. crtImb By cramb. This was his break
fest. If he eats another meal it is probably
of the same order. His dress is that of
vacrant but his conversation is that of an
educated man. He is especially happy in re-
committing "reminiscences of the New York of
two generations ago, and has Travelled a
couple Of miles at n time with me TO point
out vanished landmarks in which happened
to be Interested ] won his regard early by
giving him car fare after each Of these
jaunts. Ho pouched tho money and walked
back.
This man is true miser, but not beggar.
A much more complete specimen is another
old fellow whom got TO know while making
notes in the Astor library He carried crusts
Of bread in Lis pocket and ate them bit by
bit as he huddled over his book all day long.
His miserable dress, his haggard face and
wasted figure inspired me with pity and
opened an acquantanceship with him
When ! worked all day ] was III the habit OF
lunching in a convenient beer shop of Bohe-
milan renown, and once invited him 10 join
me- Thereafter ho did it daily without in
vitation. When my work at the library was
finished he got to haunting my house. Every
evening he would lie in wait for mo and levy
toll TO the sum Of dime for his dinner, as
he said. One night prominent real estate
agent came Up as / was making this contri-
button and greeted my pensioncr by name
When he had shuffIed OF tho agent laughed
at mo for my modest liberality. / learned
from him that my haggard friend was a re-
tired real estate Spectator and worth at
least half million in property lie lived,
and indeed lives still, in hallway which he
has converted into a sort o. bedroom in
the basement of one Of his own houses. The
rest Of the basement is let out to rag and
paper man, so that the miser is in ccIgcnial
quarters.
There are two moneymaniacs that ] know
so well that ] have been able TO make some
curious studies of their characters ard
habits. / could hardly count those whom |
know casually or merely by sight or repute.
They come of all grades and walks OF life.
There are among them men who were oriCi-
nally merchants, lawyers, doctors OF meGi-
cine and of divinity, mechanics and even
common laboring men. The miseries they
subject themselves to and the deprivations
they endure to save a cent are quite incredi-
bic Each man has his own shifts and de
vices, and each his pet mania. One gathers
pins as if they were gold, and travels with
his shabby breast stuck so full of them that
it looks like pincushion. Another collects
advertising dodgers with an avidity that
would do honor to bank bills. They seem to
be under the pressure of an incessant craze
to acquire something or nothing, however
worthless it may be, and probably experience
as acute a pang at the loss Of pin or hand
bill as they would at that Of one of their
boarded dollars Alfred Trumble in New
York News